the village watch-tower-第29章

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with　his　lady　passengers；〃　snapped　Mrs。　Todd；　〃'specially　as　they

always　ride　inside。〃



〃I　know　they　gen'ally　do；〃　said　Pel；　shouldering　the　axe

（it　was　for　his　mother's　use）；　but　this　one　rides　up　in　front　part　o'

the　way；　so　I　thought　mebbe　Jerry　'd　find　out　something　'bout　her。

She's　han'some　as　a　picture；　but　she　must　have　a　good　strong　back

to　make　the　trip　down　'n'　up　in　one　day。〃



Nothing　could　have　been　more　effective　or　more

effectual　than　this　blow　dealt　with　consummate　skill。

Having　thus　driven　the　iron　into　Mrs。　Todd's　soul；

Pel　entertained　his　mother　with　an　account　of　the　interview

while　she　chopped　the　kindling…wood。　He　had　no　special　end

in　view　when；　Iago…like；　he　dropped　his　first　poisoned　seed

in　Mrs。　Todd's　fertile　mind；　or；　at　most；　nothing　worse

than　the　hope　that　matters　might　reach　an　unendurable　point；

and　Jerry　might　strike　for　his　altars　and　his　fires。

Jerry　was　a　man　and　a　brother；　and　petticoat　government　must

be　discouraged　whenever　and　wherever　possible；　or　the　world　would

soon　cease　to　be　a　safe　place　to　live　in。　　Pel's　idea　grew　upon

him　in　the　night　watches；　and　the　next　morning　he　searched　his

mother's　garret　till　he　found　a　green　dress　and　a　white　bonnet。

Putting　them　in　a　basket；　he　walked　out　on　the　road　a　little

distance　till　he　met　the　stage；　when；　finding　no　passengers　inside；

he　asked　Jerry　to　let　him　jump　in　and　〃ride　a　piece。〃

Once　within；　he　hastily　donned　the　green　wrapper　and　tell…tale

headgear；　and；　when　the　Midnight　Cry　rattled　down　the　stony　hill

past　the　Todd　house；　Pel　took　good　care　to　expose　a　large　green

sleeve　and　the　side　of　a　white　bonnet　at　the　stage　window。

It　was　easy　enough　to　cram　the　things　back　into　the　basket；

jump　out；　and　call　a　cordial　thank　you　to　the　unsuspecting　Jerry。

He　was　rewarded　for　his　ingenuity　and　enterprise　at　night；

when　he　returned　Mrs。　Todd's　axe；　for　just　as　he　reached

the　back　door　he　distinctly　heard　her　say　that　if　she　saw

that　green　woman　on　the　stage　again；　she　would　knock　her　off

with　a　broomstick　as　sure　as　she　was　a　Stover　of　Scarboro。

As　a　matter　of　fact　she　was　equal　to　it。　　Her　great…grandmother

had　been　born　on　a　soil　where　the　broomstick　is　a　prominent

factor　in　settling　connubial　differences；　and　if　it　occurred

to　her　at　this　juncture；　it　is　a　satisfactory　proof　of　the

theory　of　atavism。



Pel　intended　to　see　this　domestic　tragedy　through　to　the　end；

and　accordingly　took　another　brief　trip　in　costume　the　very　next　week；

hoping　to　be　the　witness　of　a　scene　of　blood　and　carnage。

But　Mrs。　Todd　did　not　stir　from　her　house；　although　he　was　confident

she　had　seen　〃my　lady　green…sleeves〃　from　her　post　at　the　window。

Puzzled　by　her　apathy；　and　much　disappointed　in　her　temper；

he　took　off　the　dress；　and；　climbing　up　in　front；　rode　to　Moderation；

where　he　received　an　urgent　invitation　to　go　over　to　the　county　fair

at　Gorham。　　The　last　idea　was　always　the　most　captivating　to　Pel；

and　he　departed　serenely　for　a　stay　of　several　days　without

so　much　luggage　as　a　hairbrush。　　His　mother's　best　clothespin　basket；

to　say　nothing　of　its　contents；　appeared　at　this　juncture　to　be

an　unexpected　incumbrance；　so　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　he　handed

it　up　to　Jerry　just　as　the　stage　was　starting；　saying；　〃If　Mis'

Todd　has　a　brash　to…night；　you　can　clear　yourself　by　showing

her　this　basket；　but　for　massy　sakes　don't　lay　it　on　to　me！

You　can　stan'　it　better'n　I　can；you　're　more　used　to　it！〃



Jerry　took　the　basket；　and　when　he　was　well　out　on　the　road

he　looked　inside　and　saw　a　bright　green　calico　wrapper；　a　white

cape　bonnet；　a　white　〃fall　veil；〃　and　a　pair　of　white　cotton　gloves。

He　had　ample　time　for　reflection；　for　it　was　a　hot　day；

and　though　he　drove　slowly；　the　horses　were　sweating　at　every　pore。

Pel　Frost；　then；　must　have　overheard　his　wife's　storm　of　reproaches；

perhaps　even　her　threats　of　violence。　　It　had　come　to　this；

that　he　was　the　village　laughing…stock；　a　butt　of　ridicule　at

the　store　and　tavern。



Now；　two　years　before　this；　Jerry　Todd　had　for　the　first

and　only　time　in　his　married　life　〃put　his　foot　down。〃

Mrs。　Todd　had　insisted　on　making　him　a　suit　of　clothes

much　against　his　wishes。　　When　finished　she　put　them

on　him　almost　by　main　force；　though　his　plaintive　appeals

would　have　melted　any　but　a　Stover…of…Scarboro　heart。

The　stuff　was　a　large　plaid；　the　elbows　and　knees　came

in　the　wrong　places；　the　seat　was　lined　with　enameled　cloth；

and　the　sleeves　cut　him　in　the　armholes。



Mr。　Todd　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　but　the　pent…up

slavery　of　years　stirred　in　him；　and；　mounting　to　his　brain；

gave　him　a　momentary　courage　that　resembled　intoxication。

He　retired；　took　off　the　suit；　hung　it　over　his　arm；　and；　stalking

into　the　sitting…room　in　his　undergarments；　laid　it　on　the　table

before　his　astonished　spouse；　and；　thumping　it　dramatically；

said　firmly；　〃Iwillnotwearthemclo'es！〃　whereupon

he　fell　into　silence　again　and　went　to　bed。



The　joke　of　the　matter　was；　that；　all　unknown　to　himself；

he　had　absolutely　frightened　Mrs。　Todd。　　If　only　he　could　have　realized

the　impressiveness　and　the　thorough　success　of　his　first　rebellion！

But　if　he　had　realized　it　he　could　not　have　repeated　it　often；

for　so　much　virtue　went　out　of　him　on　that　occasion　that　he　felt

hardly　able　to　drive　the　stage　for　days　afterward。



〃I　shall　have　to　put　down　my　foot　agin；〃　he　said　to　himself

on　the　eventful　morning　when　Pel　presented　him　with　the　basket。

〃Dern　my　luck；　I've　got　to　do　it　agin；　when　I　ain't　hardly　got

over　the　other　time。〃　　So；　after　an　hour's　plotting　and　planning；

he　made　some　purchases　in　Biddeford　and　started　on　his　return　trip。

He　was　very　low　in　his　mind；　thinking；　if　his　wife　really　meditated

upon　warfare；　she　was　likely　to　inspect　the　stage　that　night；

but　giving　her　credit　in　his　inmost　heart　for　too　much　common　sense

to　use　a　broomstick；a　woman　with　her　tongue！



The　Midnight　Cry　rattled　on　lumberingly。　　Its　route　had　been　shortened；

and　Mrs。　Todd　wanted　its　name　changed　to　something　less　outlandish；

such　as　the　Rising　Sun；　or　the　Breaking　Dawn；　or　the　High　Noon；

but　her　idea　met　with　no　votaries；　it　had　been；　was；　and　ever　should　be；

the　Midnight　Cry；　no　matter　what　time　it　set　out　or　got　back。

It　had　seen　its　best　days；　Jerry　thought；　and　so　had　he；　for　that　matter。

Yet　he　had　been　called　〃a　likely　feller〃　when　he　married　the　Widder　Bixby；

or　rather　when　she　married　him。　　Well；　the　mischief　was　done；

all　that　remained　was　to　save　a　remnant　of　his　self…respect；

and　make　an　occasional　dash　for　liberty。



He　did　all　his　errands　with　his　usual　care；　dropping　a　blue

ribbon　for　Doxy　Morton's　Sunday　hat；　four　cents'　worth　of

gum…camphor　for　Almira　Berry；　a　spool　of　cotton　for　Mrs。　Wentworth；

and　a　pair　of　〃galluses〃　for　Living　Bean。　　He　finally　turned　into

the　〃back…nippin'〃　road　from　Bonny　Eagle　to　Limington；　and　when　he　was

within　forty　rods　of　his　own　house　he　stopped　to　water　his　horses。

If　he　feared　a　scene　he　had　good　reason；　for　as　the　horses　climbed

the　crest　of　the　long　hill　the　lady　in　green　was　by　his　side　on　the　box。

He　looked　anxiously　ahead；　and　there；　in　a　hedge　of　young　alder　bushes；

he　saw　something　stirring；　and；　unless　he　was　greatly　mistaken；

a　birch　broom　lay　on　the　ground　near　the　hedge。



Notwithstanding　these　danger　signals；　Jerry's　arm　encircled

the　plump　waist　of　the　lady　in　green；　and；　emboldened　by　the　shades

of　twilight；　his　lips　sought　the　identical　spot　under　the　white

〃fall　veil〃　where　her　incendiary　mouth　might　be　supposed　to　lurk；

quite　〃fit　for　treasons；　stratagems；　and　spoils。〃　　This　done；

he　put　on　the　brake　and　headed　his　horses　toward　the　fence。

He　was　none　too　soon；　for　the　Widder　Bixby；　broom　in　hand；　darted　out

from　the　alders　and　approached　the　stage　with　objurgations　which；

had　she　rated　them　at　their　proper　value；　needed　no　supplement

in　the　way　of　blows。　　Jerry　gave　one　terror…stricken　look；

wound　his　reins　rou